What happened
On September 20, 2023, a Pilatus PC-9/B was conducting a simulated air-to-ground attack training mission near Raboldshausen, Germany. The flight was part of an exercise involving Bundeswehr ground units, specifically Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs), who were simulating targets for the aircraft to engage.
During the second simulated attack, the crew was unable to identify the target. In an attempt to abort the maneuver, the pilot executed an abrupt right-hand turn with a high bank angle, reaching nearly 90 degrees. Witnesses observed the aircraft's nose pitching down to approximately 45 degrees during this maneuver. Although the crew attempted to recover the aircraft, the remaining altitude was insufficient to arrest the descent. The aircraft struck the ground at approximately 13:24 local time and immediately caught fire. The impact was so severe that the cockpit was destroyed, and the crash was unsurvivable for the two pilots on board.
The investigation
The BFU investigation relied heavily on eyewitness accounts from the JTACs, as the aircraft was not equipped with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). Radar data provided by the Bundeswehr confirmed the aircraft was in a descent at the time of the crash, traveling at approximately 168 knots at an altitude of roughly 436 feet AGL.
The investigation examined the wreckage, finding the fuselage largely destroyed and the engine significantly damaged. The Engine Limiter Unit (ELU) recorded error messages, but these were determined to be a result of the impact rather than a cause of the accident. The NASAT system, used for target simulation, was found to have been operating in a mode that did not record flight data during this specific segment of the mission.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the abrupt high-bank turn performed during the abort maneuver, which led to a loss of lift and a rapid loss of altitude.
- The aircraft's remaining altitude was insufficient to recover from the resulting descent.
- The high energy of the impact and the destruction of the cockpit made the accident unsurvivable.
- The ejection seats were likely not activated by the crew due to the rapid sequence of events, but rather triggered by the force of the impact.
Safety action
- The aircraft operator has conducted an internal safety analysis and implemented updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to refine recovery maneuvers and clarify altitude limitations.
- The BFU intends to issue Safety Recommendation 01/2026, advising aircraft operators to install Flight Data Monitoring Systems to identify and mitigate safety-critical flight practices.